1. Field
This disclosure relates to fuel cell power systems, fuel cartridges to support such systems, and methods for supplying and authenticating fuel cartridges for use in fuel cell powered systems.
2. General Background
World-wide commercial use of fuel cell powered host devices, particularly portable devices. A non-exclusive list of potential host devices include, but are not limited to, computer peripherals, mobile phone peripherals, mobile phones, personal music players, laptops, notebooks, tablet, gaming devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and battery chargers. A fuel cell power system can either be located inside the host device or can be connected to the host device using suitable means. In either case, a means to provide fuel to the power system is required. An example of one such means is the use of fuels packaged in cartridges (packaged fuel) in predetermined amounts to satisfy the volume, weight and run time requirements of the host device, use profile of the host device, and regulatory requirements associated with the host device. For the sake of simplicity, a fuel cell power system is considered to comprise of a fuel cell subsystem that includes the fuel cell or a multiplicity of fuel cells in the form of a fuel cell stack, fluid, and power management means, a process controller, and the fuel cartridge. The fuel cartridge is connected to the fuel cell subsystem system using a connector or coupling.
To support commercialization, low-cost, user-friendly, methods for authentication, and methods for monitoring the status and health of the fuel cell power system, and logistics associated with supply and disposing of fuel cartridges are needed. At the other end of the spectrum of low-cost are cartridges such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,655,331, 7,401,712, 7,306,863, 6,828,049 and 7,914,945. Such cartridges require memory components and other identification tags to enable this bi-directional communication. One may expect higher unit costs for such devices, and part of the costs in recycling of spent cartridges may include expensive components to be harvested.
Accordingly, it is a desideratum to have an alternative to “smart” cartridges to enable user-friendly and low-cost fuel cartridges and fuel cell power systems, and methods that enable authentication of fuel cartridges for use in fuel cell power systems.